AcapellaA uniquely American Musical genre that flurished in the 1950s. Groups of 4 or 5 members consisting of bass/baritone/tenor and lead would sing in three or four part harmony, with a frequent use of falsetto and a predominance of "nonsense syllables" This musical form provided a wealth of artistic talents and a bevy of independent record labels, including Chess, Vee Jay, King, Jubilee, etc.. The personalities behind these were often times a one room operation, practically as notorious as the artists themselves. Not all artists were successful and fact the majority of them often burned out early, realizing little in terms of financial rewards. Groups were rushed in and out of recording studios in assembly line fashion and many groups of this area sang "acapella" which as a musical genre was much cheaper to produce as there was no need to pay for bands. Doo Wop and Doo Wop in particular represented a golden age in American Vocal Harmony, with a following that remain vibrant to this day.
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